Fabric take-up for textile machines



Sept. 3, 1957 G. E. CLENTIMACK 2,804,760

FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR. 91 Gzoaer: [.CLENTIMACK A TTORNE Y Sept. 3, 1957 cs. E. CLENTIMACK 2,804,760

FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTOR. 2 Ig 5 Gaclaez ECLENTIMAGK A TTORNE Y United States Patent FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR TEXTILE MACHINES George E. Clentimack, North Attleboro, Mass., assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application February 23, 1955, Serial No. 489,975

11 Claims. (Cl. 66-149) This invention relates to take-up mechanisms for textile machines, and more particularly, to take-up devices in which the fabric is drawn or taken up under a condition of constant tension.

It is a general object of the invention to devise a takeup means for use in all types of textile fabric producing machines such, for example, as looms or knitting machines, which means shall function to draw the fabric under uniform conditions of tension thereby to contribute to the production of fabric of better quality.

A more specific object of the invention is that of devising a take-up means in which the action is not subject to the characteristic tightening and relaxing of tension as is so often experienced with conventional means heretofore employed.

A further object of the invention is that of taking up fabric in such manner as to maintain its width more uniformly and to prevent undesired contraction which frequently is experienced with take-ups in which the tension on the material is periodically relaxed.

Another object is that of providing a take-up driving means which shall function to correct the speed at which fabric is drawn by or through a means for varying the speed of take-up drive in response to tension conditions in the fabric and under the influence of a resistive load.

It is a further object to provide means of the type described wherein speed variation is governed by a gravity actuated resistive load functioning to balance a helical gear load axially and which provides a linear response.

Other objects will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

Take-up means for looms, knitting machines and other fabric producing machines function on various principles and with varying degrees of perfection, but it is well known that faulty take-up action does contribute in no small way to certain fabric imperfections, e. g., stop or set marks, shade marks, lack of width uniformity, or lack of maximum width for a fabric produced under a given set of conditions.

According to the invention, a take-up means, either functioning through a sand roll or the like adapted to pull fabric after which it is wound on a cloth roll, or to drive a roll by which fabric is drawn and on which it is wound as well, is positively rotated by a means incorporating a variable speed drive means under control of a movable resistive load responsive to fabric tension. The mechanism is preferably linearly responsive.

This drive mechanism is enclosed in an oil tight casing except for a few externally mounted control members and comprises a power input member positively rotated from some convenient part of the textile machine to which it is applied, an output means and mechanism between these two for positively interconnecting them as a complete drive unit, but providing for speed variation or change of ratio of the output over the input.

This variable speed means is controlled through a reice sistive load as by a weight functioning to resist the axial movement induced between certain helical gears. This control automatically corrects for more or less instantaneous tendencies of the drive to fluctuate or for fabric tension to vary; also, if used to rotate a cloth roll on which fabric is wound, it constantly varies the speed ratio of the drive from start to finish of the winding of a roll of material. These two functions are, of course, carried out simultaneously.

The invention will be described in detail by reference to one particular embodiment thereof given by way of illustration and by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a part of a warp knitting machine to which the invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a similar showing of an application to a loom.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a part of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top sectional view of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device.

Fig. 6 is a view from the face of the casing, the front cover being removed.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken at line 77, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section, to enlarge-d scale, taken at line 8-8, Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of certain variable speed drive means. 7

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken at line 10-10, Fig. 9.

Now referring to Fig. 1, part of a Warp knitting machine is illustrated, and includes a frame member 20, needle and knockover assemblies 21 and 22, feeders 23 and 24, and tension bars 25 and 26 over which the warp threads are passed as lead to the feeders. Several shafts run lengthwise of the machine one such at 27 being a main camshaft and employed here to drive the fabric take-up means.

Fabric formed by interaction of the feeders, needles and knockover bits is lead toward the front of the machine to be passed over a take-up roll 28 by which it is' drawn and advanced to a wind up roller in one instance, or alternately, may merely be trained over a roll like that at 28, but freely rotatable, and then drawn by winding on a wind-up roller. In either instance the take-up unit generally indicated by numeral 29, is driven from the output side of that unit.

Here, for example, the unit is mounted by suitable connections to the machine frame and'is driven by a chain 30 passing over a sprocket 31 fixed at the end of shaft 27 and another 31' at the input shaft 32 of the unit. Power is taken from the output side of the unit from sprocket 33 by chain 34 to a second sprocket 35 on a shaft rotatable with the take-up roll 28.

In Figs. 2 and 3, a similar unit 36 is shown mounted on a loomside 37 of a loom, only a part of the upper, front part thereof being illustrated. Here again the in+ put side of the unit is driven from any convenient member of the loom such as the main camshaft, by a chain 38. A take-up or sand roll 39 is in connection to the output side of the unit through a gear train including a sprocket 40, intermediate gear 41 and a driven gear 42 at the end of the sand roll shaft.

These figures have been employed mainly to show the type of machine and typical situations to which the invention applies Now referring to Figs. 4-8, the take-up unit is housed to a great extent within a main casing 43 enclosed by cover 44. The input to the unit from sprocket 31, for example, and shaft 32 is conveyed'through spiral gear 45 to a second spiral gear 46 onia shaft 47 at the other end of which are mounted certain diskslater to be described. As shown in Fig. 8 the shaft 32 is rotatable in 'antifrietion bearings 48 and 49 mounted in a sleeve 50 retained in position by bolts passing through a cover flange 51 which closes the casing at that point and also serves to retain bearing 49 axially. The extending end of shaft 32 is keyed for reception of the sprocket or a gear in the event drive to the unit may be by such alternate means.

Gear 46 and shaft 47 are rotatable in other antifriction bearings 52 and 53 mounted in a bracket 54 which is bolted to the rear wall of the casing 43.

The output side of the unit is driven from the input through a variable speed means to be described and which rotates a shaft 55 at some particular ratio compared to the rotation of the input shaft 32 depending upon the position of parts of the variable drive. This shaft 55 is rotatable in bearings 56 and 57 mounted in a sleeve 58 flanged at 59 to be held in place by a cover 60 and screws passing through both cover and flange. A worm 61 is keyed to the shaft and is retained axially by spacers between it and the bearings, the latter being restrained against axial movement in the sleeve 58.

A short shaft 62 has a screw driver end engageable in a slot in the adjacent end of shaft 55. A crank may be attached to the projecting end of the shaft to turn it and when pushed in to engage with shaft 55, the mechanism may be set by hand for purposes hereinafter to be described.

The worm 61 meshed with a worm wheel 63 drives the output shaft 64 through a train gears 65, 66, 67 and 68. Gear 65 is fixed to rotate with worm gear 63 while both are freely mounted on the inner end of shaft 64, but restrained axially thereon. Gear 68 is fixed to shaft 64 which is mounted in bearings 69 and 70 in the pedestal or other member 71 and extension 72, this latter being bolted to casing 43 to retain it in operative relationship to whatever machine pedestal 71 is a part.

A ball thrust bearing T spaces gear 65 and worm wheel 63, a collar or other retaining means serving to prevent their coming off the end of the shaft 64.

Gears 66 and 67 are intermediate gears fixed to rotate as a unit and are free on shaft 73 which is movable laterally of the casing, being borne in bushings 74 in the back plate of the casing and 75 in the cover, except that endwise movement of the shaft is accompanied by a similar movement of the gears and vice versa. Thrust is transmitted between the two through a ball thrust bearing 76, Figs. 4 and and collar 77 fixed to the shaft at the front and another collar and/or thrust bearing at the rear. Actually when in operation the pressure is always toward bearing 76 tending to push the shaft 73 to the front so stop means at the opposite side of the gears is not so important.

The end of the shaft which extends rearwardly at 78, Figs. 4 and 5, has rack teeth cut at its top portion which mesh with teeth of a gear 79 fixed to shaft 80. This shaft is borne within suitable hearings in lugs 81 and 82 of a bracket 83 bolted to the rear face of the main casing and carries fixed at one end, an arm 84 counterbalanced at 85 and having a Weight 86 adjustably positionable along the arm length. This weight and arm are so positioned and adjusted as to act through gear 79 and rack teeth at 78 to pull shaft 73 to the rear (left in Fig. 5). The drive through gears 65-68 all of which are spiral gears, acts to force gears 66 and 67 and therefore shaft 73 to the front in opposition to resistive load or weight 86. The angle of teeth on these gears is so chosen that the torque at the pitch line is equal to the axial thrust generated so that the response due to increased or decreased pressure is a linear one. The limits of movement and detailed functioning of these parts in actual practice will be explained later.

The output shaft is, of course, connected to those elements which it is desired to control, e. g., take-up or sand rolls in Figs. 1 and 2. Here in Figs. 4 and 5, the unit is directly connected to a cloth wind-up roller 87 mounted 4 at its other end in a journal 88 and capable of being dofled by disconnecting devices generally indicated by numeral 89 and not necessary of further description here as the same are well known to those conversant with the textile arts.

Now having described the input and output sides of the unit, the intermediate, speed varying drive will be explained, special reference being made to Figs. 9 and 10 as well as those to which reference has already been made. This drive through interengaging disks is a friction drive, but under practical conditions is virtually positive in action. Shaft 47 is splined or fluted at its inner end and has freely slidable thereon a plurality of flat-sided disks 90. These as well as others to be described are preferably of hardened alloy steel ground to precise limits and acceptable finish.

The output worm shaft 55 is fluted similarly and mounts a like number of the same type of disks 91.

intermediate disks 90 and 91 are a number of disks 92 which are interleaved with the former. These disks 92 exceed by one the number of disks on either shaft 47 or 55 and are tapered or cone shaped so that the peripheral surfaces only of disks 90 and 91 are in engagement with the tapered sides of disks 92. Disks 92 are likewise slidable on a fluted shaft 93 so they turn as a unit. Shaft 93 is rotatable in autifriction bearings 94 and 95 held in the arms 96 and 97 of a fork portion of a sort of hell crank pivoted at 98 and having a vertically disposed arm 99. The pivot 98 passes through lugs 100 of a bracket 101 screwed to the rear part of the casing. The bearings 94 and 95 are locked on shaft 93 by snap rings or other effective means and springs 102 and 103 under compression, Fig. 10, press inwardly on disks 92 to urge them into contact with the other disks 90 and 91.

Rotation of shaft 47 is thus conveyed through to shaft 55 and by swinging arm 99 about pivot 98, the shaft 93 may be raised or lowered with obvious change of the moment arms of the respective driving disks and corresponding change in drive ratio. As illustrated, the parts are in a more or less neutral position, but raising the shaft 93 will speed up shaft 55 and lowering it results in the opposite reaction while the drive is in operation.

Arm 99, Figs. 6 and 7, extends upwardly to a forked end 104 each arm of which is slotted to engage about projecting studs 10S and 106 extending laterally from a nut 107. This nut threads onto the enlarged central part of a shaft 108 slidable front to rear in bushings 109 and 110 in the casing and cover. Collars 111 and 112 limit the possible positions of nut 107, adjustment thereof be ing effected by turning shaft 103. A crank may be .applied to the end of the shaft extending to the front of the unit for that purpose.

.That end of shaft 108 projecting through the rear of the casing is grooved to form a sort of rack 113 to mesh with teeth of a gear 114 fixed to shaft 80. Gears 79 and 114 are preferably identical. As shaft 80 is turned under influence of shaft 73 and gears previously described, it swings arm 99 and other controlling means to vary the intermeshing of the disks.

Now having described the mechanism and general relationship of parts, the operation thereof will be reviewed briefly. Assuming a simple situation where the unit is to drive a take-up or sand roll only, the take-up action may be tightened to remove slack if necessary by applying a crank to shaft 62 and rotating the mechanism in the proper direction. Also assuming the arm 84 to be set an angle of about 30, for example, with the gears 66 and 67 half way between extremes, the nut 107 should be positioned so disks 90, 91 and 92 mesh to the same extent, that is, for 1:1 drive ratio. If not so set, the crank used on shaft 62 or other suitable instrument may be used on the end of shaft 108 to effect the necessary setting.

The machine, knitting, loom, or the like, is then started and the drive being taken off some constantly driven part of the same rotates the take-up roll to draw the formed at about 15 from the lower vertical.

fabric. If tension on the fabric is as prescribed the parts continue to function with no appreciable change, but assuming tension to be slightly in excess of that desired, the gear tooth pressures increase accordingly and the axial component increases to move gears 66, 67 and shaft 73 to the right, Figs. 4 and 5. Rack 78 then rotates shaft 80 through gear 79 and that motion is transmitted by gear 114 to shaft 108 and nut 107 whereby the arm 99 moves clockwise, Fig. 7, to lower shaft 93 and disks 92 thereby to decrease the drive ratio so that take-up action will slow down. As the above takes place, the weighted arm 84 is also elevated, slightly increasing its turning moment. As the drive catches up and tension on the fabric slackens, the arm 84 moves down to carry shafts 73 and 108 rearwardly raising disks 92 to increase the ratio. Actually there is no sharp variation in position of the arm and weight which are set for drawing fabric under a specified tension. Any correction needed is slight and the mechanism responds very quickly and precisely to the changes in tooth pressure at the drive gears.

In the event a roll of material is to be wound directly as in Figs. 4 and 5, the material is started on a roll four or five inches in diameter and, of course, builds up to some maximum diameter to be accommodated by the particular machine involved. Thus there is the two-fold prob em of maintaining tension in the fabric instantaneously and compensating for increase in roll diameter as the wind-up continues. For such installations the starting position of the arm and weight may preferably be set Let us assume that the disk position is then one in which the maximum speed and lower torque condition prevails, that is, the central disks are raised more or less to their highest position. Winding starts on the drum 87 or other core and as the diameter of the wound fabric increases, of course, if the tension in the fabric is to be constant, the tooth pressure at the pitch line of gear 68 must increase in proportion to the increase in diameter of the winding material.

Since the helical gearing is such that axial thrust at the gear 67 is equal to the turning force applied at the pitch line of gear 68, the dimensions and ratios of motion designed into the mechanism are such that there will be a proportional decrease of speed of rotation of the shaft 64 and a similar increase of torque applied thereto; to take a simple example, as the diameter of the fabric roll doubles, remembering that tension in the fabricas itis drawn is to remain constant, the torque transmitted through gear 68 must double so that components of pressure at the pitch line double. That means the axial thrust on the gears 67 and 66 will double swinging the arm and weight upwardly to a higher position, one in fact in which the effective moment arm for the weight or resistive load is doubled. The ratios of movement of shaft 108 and shaft 93 so designed that the combined effect of the double reduction through the disks will reduce speed to one-half its initial value and at the same time increase the torque delivered to twice its original value. Every time the roll diameter doubles this same change of condition and equivalent compensation takes place. Normally the motion of parts is such that the weight and arm move from a starting position of about from lower vertical to 45 for the winding of a complete roll of considerable size.

The total speed change provided through the disk unit is roughly 6:1 or 1:6 depending upon the direction of change. 'In a practical situation the entire range is not utilized. Furthermore, it is not advisable to attempt to use a movement of the arm and weight from much more than the 15 to 45 positions. Thus one may realize a 1:1 ratio between tooth pressure components (torque and axial thrust) and the effect of weight and arm over the necessary range to wind from a 4-inch core to a 20- inchroll or slightly better with the tension in the material uniform from start to finish. In other words, within these limits, the curves of diameter increase, torque, tooth .roll drive in which the fabric is wound by separate means on a cloth roll. However; the preferred use of the device is in line with what is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus the invention makes it possible to dispense with the sand roll and its function. Since cloth take-up is normally better kept low in the loom or knitting machine frame, a freely rotating guide .roller may be substituted at the sand roll position and the material guided over that or any other suitable guide means to lead it to the take-up roll.

In installations in which the invention has been used it has been found that the quality of fabric is much improved. Stop and start marks, shade marks and other imperfections caused at least in part by an uneven takeup action have been eliminated to the point where imperfect or second. quality goods need not be produced by reason of lack of uniformity in take-up action. Power consumed by this part of the entire knitting machine or loom'is low and the action being continuous and uniform, the entire operation of the machine is improved.

While one preferred embodiment and certain modifications have been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile machine having cooperating fabric forming devices for interlacing threads to produce a fabric, a means over which the fabric is passed for taking up the formed fabric under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, other means constituting a power output member and interconnecting drive members including intermeshing helical gears on parallel shafts, some of which are axially movable between said positively driven member and power output member, the relative relationship of parts of which may be varied to establish different drive ratios between the input and output sides of said take-up drive means, and means comprising a movable resistive load responsive to changes of tension in the fabric for correcting the position of said interconnecting drive members thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary from a desired value.

2. In a textile machine having cooperating fabric forming devices for interlacing threads to produce a fabric, a means over which the fabric is passed for taking up the formed fabric under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at 'a' powerinput side, other means constituting a power output member and interconnecting drive members including intermeshing helical gears on parallel shafts, some of which are axially movable between said positively driven member and power output member, the relative relationship of parts of which may be varied to establish different drive ratios between the input and output sides of said take-up drive means, and a movable gravity actuated resistive load responsive to changes of tension in the fabric for correcting the position of said interconnecting drive members thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary from a desired value.

3. In a textile machine having cooperating fabric forming devices for interlacing threads to produce a fabric, a means over which the fabric is passed for taking up the formed fabric under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, other means constituting a power output member and means including driving gears at least some of which are axially movable and other interconnecting drive members between said positively driven member and power output member, the relative relationship of parts of which may be varied to establish different drive ratios between the input and output sides of said take-up drive means, and means comprising a resistive load responsive to axial movement of said driving gears as influenced by changes in tooth pressure values thereon upon changes in tension in the fabric, for correcting the position of said interconnecting drive members thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary from a desired value.

4. In a textile machine having cooperating fabric forming devices for interlacing threads to produce a fabric, a means over which the fabric is passed for taking up the formed fabric under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, other means constituting a power output member and interconnecting drive members between said positively driven member and power output member, the relative relationship of parts of which may be varied to establish different drive ratios between the input and output sides of said take-up drive means, and means comprising axially displaceable helical gears balanced by a resistive load oscillatable throughout relatively small increments while being gradually displaceable over a relatively wide extent and responsive to changes of tension in the fabric for correcting the position of said interconnecting drive members thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary due to instantaneous influences and also due to progressive increase in the diameter of a winding roll of textile fabric.

5. In a textile machine having cooperating fabric forming devices for interlacing threads to produce a fabric, a means over which the fabric is passed for taking up the formed fabric under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, helical gears some of which are axially movable constituting power output members and interconnecting drive members between said positively driven and power output members, the relative relationship of parts of which may be varied to establish different drive ratios between the input and output sides of said take-up drive means, and means connected for movement with said axially movable gears in response to varying tooth pressures thereon and including a movable resistive load for aifecting the position of said interconnecting drive members thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary from a desired value.

6. In a textile machine having cooperating fabric forming devices for interlacing threads to produce a fabric, a means over which the fabric is passed for taking up the formed fabric under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, helical gears some of which are axially movable constituting power output members and intermeshing friction disks resiliently urged into contact constituting take-up drive means thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary from a desired value.

7. Mechanism as defined in claim 6 wherein said axially movable gears affect said disks through an oscillating shaft, a gear on said shaft, a rack meshed with said gear and a bell crank lever, one arm of which is pivoted to said rack and the other arm of which mounts a pivot for an intermediate set of said disks.

8. Mechanism as defined in claim 6 wherein said axially movable gears affect said disks through an oscillating shaft, gears on said shaft, a rack comprising a part of a shaft, on which said helical gears are rotatable, meshing with one said gear on the shaft, a second rack means meshing with the other gear on said shaft, a bell crank lever, one arm of which is pivoted for an intermediate set of said disks, and an arm fixed to said shaft and a weight adjustably positionable thereon for balancing the axial movement of the said helical gears.

9. In a knitting machine, means including warp yarn feeders and knitting instrumentalities for forming knitted fabric, a take-up means for drawing fabric from said instrumentalities and winding it into a roll under uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, a member constituting a power output means and interconnecting drive members between said positively driven and power output members the relative relationship of parts of which may be varied to establish difierent drive ratios between the two, and means comprising axially displaceable helical gears balanced by a resistive load oscillatable throughout relatively small increments while being gradually displaceable over a relatively wide extent and responsive to changes of tension in the fabric for correcting the position of said interconnecting drive means thereby to restore a prescribed tension in the fabric as it may tend to vary due to instantaneous influences and also due to progressive increase in the diameter of a winding roll of textile fabric.

10. In a textile machine having cooperating devices for combining threads to form a fabric, a means to take up said fabric under substantially uniform tension conditions which comprises a variable speed driving means having a member positively driven at a uniform speed at a power input side, a power output means and interconnecting drive means between said positively driven and output means which comprises a helical gear train gears of which are mounted upon parallel shafts and some of which are axially displaceable, an oscillatable resistive load for balancing the thrust of said displaceable gears, and other means for changing the speed ratio of the power output means as compared to the speed at the input side which comprises a friction drive means controlled by said oscillatable resistive load. 7

ll! Mechanism as defined in claim 10 wherein said friction drive means comprises interleaved disks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 532,312 Chambers Jan. 8, 1895 2,586,470 Lawson Feb. 19, 1952 2,621,500 Clentimack Dec. 16, 1952 2,645,106 Lambach July 14, 1953 2,663,174 lessen Dec. 22, 1953 

